HealthDay (1/2, Mundell) reports, “Reduced income, unemployment and mental health issues are more common among people who live with a loved one diagnosed with depression, new research shows.” Investigators found that “folks living with a depressed person had, on average, $4,720 less in total annual income, than people who didn’t.” Additionally, “folks living with a person who was depressed…were more likely to be unemployed,” and had “lower scores on tests aimed at assessing mental and physical health.”

The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. In a news release from the American Psychiatric Association, study lead author Paul Greenberg said, “These findings indicate that the impact of depressive symptoms may extend beyond the affected individuals, imposing a burden on other adults in their households.”

Related Links:

— “Living With a Depressed Loved One Can Take Mental, Financial Toll,” Ernie Mundell, HealthDay, January 2, 2024

HCP Live (1/2, Derman) reports, “Young adults and adolescents are the age groups most likely to discontinue ADHD medication within 5 years, according to a new study.” Meanwhile, “children had the lowest rates.” The findings were published in The Lancet Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— “Young Adults, Adolescents Discontinue ADHD Medication More Than Children,” Chelsie Derman, HCPLive, January 2, 2024

HealthDay (12/29, Mundell) reported, “Suicide rates for Vietnam veterans over the past four decades were no higher than that of the general population.” Nonetheless, “between 1979 and 2019 – the period covered by the new study – almost 100,000 Vietnam War vets did lose their lives to suicide, the researchers noted.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Vietnam War Veterans at No Higher Risk for Suicide: Study,” Ernie Mundell, HealthDay, December 29, 2023

Politico (1/1, Paun) reports, “Nearly 60 years after Congress barred Medicaid from treating people in what were then derided as insane asylums, lawmakers are on the verge of reversing course.” The House passed a bill in December that “would give states the option to treat Medicaid patients suffering from addiction for up to a month in a mental hospital on the government’s dime,” while “the Senate Finance Committee approved a similar provision in November.”

However, “fears of reinstitutionalization have also animated civil rights advocates” who “fear a slippery slope back to warehousing the sick and point to states like California and New York that are already experimenting with forcing patients into care.”

Related Links:

— “Mental hospitals warehoused the sick. Congress wants to let them try again.,” Carmen Paul, Politico, January 1, 2024

Psychiatric News (12/28) reports, “Living with an adult with depressive symptoms is linked to substantially lower average yearly income and employment rates as well as reduced quality of life for adults who do not have depressive symptoms, a study…has found.” Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing “data from The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component…which collects data on demographics, health conditions, health status, use of health care services, income, and employment for each person in a household.” The findings were published in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Living With Adults With Depressive Symptoms Linked to Lower Income, Quality of Life,” APA Psychiatric News Alert, December 28, 2023